Statement by H.E. Rabab Fatima, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN at the Security Council Aria-Formula Meeting: Cyber Stability, Conflict Prevention and Capacity Building on 22 May 2020

I thank you, Mr. President, for organizing today’s meeting on this very important subject. I thank the briefers for their useful insights.

Mr. President,

In Bangladesh, we are investing in promoting a robust cyber-security culture across the government and the society. We have put in place necessary framework, policy and strategy, and continuously building upon them. We seek international cooperation in our efforts.

Multilateral cooperation and partnership hold the key for achieving a secure, rules- based, and responsible cyber infrastructure for all. We have reached agreement that international law applies in the cyber domain. But we need genuine efforts to bridge the gap to address implementation challenges to ensure effective cyber governance and cyber stability globally. We support the efforts of the OEWG and GGE in this regard.

Allow me to briefly flag a few points:

First, international support is essential to build the capacity of the developing countries to bridge the digital divide, to ensure accessible and affordable cyber space, and to put in place effective cyber security architecture, through technical and expert support, with a multi-stakeholder approach involving governments and tech firms.

Second, we need to further strengthen public-private partnership to tackle emerging cyber crimes.

Third, cyber governance should be a part of existing and future regional cooperation frameworks. National regulations will be critical building blocks in this regard. There are important lessons for our region in the ASEAN experience, as we heard earlier today from Mr. Koh.

Fourth, the growing threat of cyber-terrorism and crimes, and the use of cyber space to spread hate and hostility, as we are seeing even during this pandemic, has to be made an integral part of overall cyber stability.

And finally, Mr. President, The COVID-19 pandemic has shown the importance of seamless digital connectivity for business continuity in such crisis situations. At the same time, we are aware of the risks associated with digital platforms, including the possible breach of confidentiality, and theft of information. Perhaps this situation offers an opportunity to work together in ensuring a safe, secure, and peaceful cyber environment for the present and future generations.